The government has said health teams have been dispatched to provide treatment to the flood victims in western terai but medicines and health workers are yet to reach them.

A temporary health post has been set up at the Babai multiple campus in Gulariya. The post has been treating more than 300 people daily. Reports say that hundreds of people are suffering from diarrhoea, dysentery, fever, pneumonia and conjunctivitis.

Similarly, communicable diseases has been detected among the flood victims in Nawalparasi district. The disease has mostly affected children and old people. Children are suffering from chronic pneumonia and scores are in critical condition, reports said. Most of them have been rushed to the district hospital. One child has also died in the district hospital. As the victims are forced to drink contaminated water, there is danger of further spread of epidemic in the area.

Local health officers in Nawalparasi say that more than 40 patients visited the local health post for treatment. However, the medicines have not reached and stock in the post is already exhausted.

Epidemic is also widespread in Rajapur Tapu, inundated after flood in the Karnali river, due to scores of dead animal carcasses.

The district health office has been distributing pamphlets cautioning the people not to drink contaminated water or eat rotten food.

Reports quoted Chief District Officer of Bardiya, Shiv Prasad Nepal as saying that agreements have been made with UNICEF to supply medicines for flood victims immediately. He said about 500 flood victims in Banke, who were suffering from cholera, typhoid, pneumonia and conjunctivitis, have not received any medical treatment so far and children are critically ill. Health teams have not reached there. But local authorities say health teams have been dispatched to the areas to control the spread of epidemic further.